Eight killed by latest US drone strike in Pakistan

Peshawar
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A US drone attack on a house in the town of Miranshah killed at least 8 people. The 8 were as almost always happens, called terror suspects. The attack happened during the Iftar dinner breaking the Ramadan fast immediately after sunset.

The town is in the North Wasiristan tribal region. Two missiles hit the three room structure. A tribesman said: “They were all having an Iftar dinner in the compound when the drone fired two missiles. A group of militants arrived and started pulling out the bodies after an hour when the drone had disappeared,” The tribesman said that four among those slain were Arab fighters. A security official in Miranshah said: "The compound was situated around three kilometres from the Afghan border. Militants surrounded it after the strike".

A New York TImes report claims that the group attacked had just crossed the border from Afghanistan where the local commanders said they had been fighting US and Afghan forces. The Times report differs from others in claiming that the militants were on foot when attacked

Militants often set up sanctuaries in the area during the summer. The Shawai valley where the attack took place is near the Afghan border. An official in Miranshah said: “The weather in Shawal remains very pleasant during summer and that’s why most of the militant groups, particularly foreigners, shift their camps to this remote region”.

The actual identity of those killed has yet to be verified. While drone strikes have declined of late, there have been strikes both before and after Nawaz Sharif became prime minister. Sharif along with the leading opposition party have demanded the strikes cease. The drone strike on Sunday is the 17th this year, with at least 106 people reportedly killed.